Heart of Thorns
by Spirit Author
Summary: "Beware that, when fighting monster, you yourself do not become a monster…for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche. This world you've made for yourselves is falling apart at the seems. A simple child all the chaos needs. So you want your precious 'friend' once again to be free. Let's see how brave you are when you come against me.
1. Sunshine

_Sunshine_

 _You are my sunshine_

A group, composed of by a ruby, sapphire, opal, and a human, sit in a circle, smiling brightly as they each gently played with the bubbly baby boy and girl within.

 _My only sunshine_

Opal sits next to a now older Steven and Connie, showing them the twinkling stars in the dark blue above, the children completely enthralled as she explained to them what the little specs of light were.

 _You make me happy_

Steven and Connie each let out a joyous squeal as they are tossed in the air by Ruby, the red gem catching them with a playful smirk. She would ask the duo if they wanted her to repeat the process, the response she earned being many frantic yes's, before she tossed them up again.

 _When skies are gray_

Steven and Connie are next to a crying Sapphire, the duo hugging her tightly and comforting the blue gem to the best of their abilities, despite having no clue as to what was wrong.

 _You'll never know dear_

The trio of gems, Ruby, Sapphire, and Opal, watch as the brother and sister sleep peacefully together, the two unwittingly cuddling with one another in their unconscious.

 _How much I love you_

Steven and Connie dance happily together in a circle on the beach, their friend Pee Dee watching them laugh together with seemingly unfailing joy with a smile of his present.

 _Please don't take_

A pink barrier slams shut.

 _My sunshine_

Ruby, Sapphire, Opal, and Connie are gathered together on the beach, Lapis lying unconscious near the Temple, the prior four still dazed as they stared at the sea with horrified expression.

 _Away..._

A monster, long tan hair and sharp pearly white fangs, skin black with blood red spots, rises from the depth, a sick grin present at the harsh glow of the gemstones on their nose and their naval.


	2. Wreckage After the Storm

_**Author's note:**_ _Hi, the sequel to The Halves of Rose has finally come! Woo! Now if you haven't read it yet, you might want to as it gives some necessary backstory and this story will spoil it for you. If you don't want to, hey, who am I to judge? Just don't blame me if you get lost._

* * *

 _Wreckage After the Storm_

Lightning flashed followed closely by the boom of thunder that had been doomed to follow the flash wherever it should go, the sky was dark gray, light flashing in and from the clouds, as a storm of unimaginable proportions was thrown at them, and Jasper, looking like a monster that crawled out of the depths of hell, held Steven high above her by his hand. The wind blew hard, Connie having to shield her eyes to see her brother and his captor through the sand that was blowing up into her eyes. Eventually, the rain and the sand worked together to only allow her to see the silhouettes of the two.

"Steven!" Connie called out desperately to her dear brother, her voice lost to the storm. "Steven!" She called even louder, only to find it was just as ineffective as the first.

And, despite the almost deafening volume, despite how powerful the storm was, through it all, through all the noise, Connie could hear a faint laughter. The laughter's volume, however, didn't stay quiet and gentle, but continued to grow louder and louder, even overcoming the storm.

Connie couldn't bear it, the ever maddening laughter growing louder and becoming less like that of a human and more akin to a monster. And then, the features of her environment began to clear enough for her to see the glowing, giant of light.

"Steven!" Connie called out, immediately wishing she hadn't.

The monster's head looked downwards to her, two glowing, cat-like eyes opening, observing her like prey. Soon, a mouth began to form, immediately appearing in a fanged smiled. With their mouth, they said in a distorted voice, "Connie…"

"N- No…" Connie said.

They took a step forward, shaking the very ground with its power. "Connie…"

Connie stepped back in response. "No…please no…"

"Connie." It continued to chant, another step forward.

"No! Stop it!" Connie cried tearfully. "You- You're not Steven! Wh- What did you do to my brother?!"

"Connie…" It said.

"Answer me!" Connie insisted.

"Connie…"

"What did you do with Steven?!" Connie shouted at the top of her lungs

"Connie!"

* * *

"Connie! Connie!" A voice called.

Connie gasped, eye snapping open. She grabbed her chest, heart racing like it too wanted to leave her behind and run away from the thing itself. When she had awoken, she became aware of two strong, and very warm, arms wrapped around her.

"Shhh, everything's okay, shhh." Ruby said like a mother to her daughter after a rough day, stroking the young girl's back gently. "Ruby's gotcha."

Connie was still for a moment as she pulled her mind from the dream world back to the real one. Once she had, she couldn't stop from letting out a sob, crying into Ruby's shoulder, the red gem continuing to comfort her.

"It's okay, it was just a dream pumpkin. It's all okay."

Pumpkin…not really a name Ruby used a lot, or at all if Connie's memory served correct. In fact, the only one who actually called her that had been her father. Yet, it had become her go to word recently when comforting the girl. And the odd thing was, it worked. Or at least what Ruby was doing in general was working, so Ruby wasn't about to change the formula.

"But it wasn't just a dream." Connie choked out. "It wasn't."

"I know honey, I know. Just let Ruby make it all better." Honey, another unusual name that had since become common.

A month…that was the time that had passed since Steven was…taken. The team had been thrown into chaos after the tragedy, almost everyone breaking down into their lowest possible states of being, at least that's how it felt. Connie had been plagued with night terrors every night since, so much so that Ruby simply stayed at her bedside so she could comfort her for her morning episode. The day wasn't much better for Connie though. Every waking moment that she had time to think she could only think about her brother, how sweet and kind he always was, how cruel she could have been to him at times, and most of all…how she didn't appreciate him enough. Connie had decided that if- no, _when_ they rescued Steven from the clutches of the monster, she was going to spend every, and she meant _every_ , moment thereafter with him and make sure to show him how important he was to her.

In order to keep these thoughts from driving her mad, she busied herself with work, any type of work, whatever she could find to distract her mind for even the slightest moment. Sapphire tried to pretend to be calm and collected, like she had everything under control. She even assured Connie that they would find him within the week. However, as Sapphire's trips became more and more frequent and growing longer with each, some even taking several days, it became apparent that Sapphire had no idea what she was doing. She was just as clueless as the rest of them. Opal, it wasn't easy to pinpoint exactly _how_ all of this was affecting her, but Connie knew that she wasn't always fused when she went into her room to recharge and continue her search for their missing child under the sea. The odd thing was, they weren't even the ones taking it the hardest. As much as it pained Connie to admit, _Lapis_ was the one hit hardest. The blue gem, after she woke up to the first of many panicked conversations amongst the Crystal Gems, immediately took to looking for Steven under the sea, not coming back until a week later. After Lapis returned from her little trip, she took residence on the roof so she could watch the ocean that took her friend, never speaking to anyone unless it directly involved him. Everyone else was broken in their own ways because of what happened, sure, but Lapis…she was shattered by it.

There was only one gem who managed to keep her cool during the whole ordeal, which was ironic given who it was. The one nobody would have expected, Ruby. Sure, for the first day or two, she had been acting just like the rest, maybe even worse given that she almost set fire to the house with her anger, swearing words Connie hadn't even known existed along the way. However, after some time, she realized that she couldn't let it consume her as it was everyone else, she needed to stay strong, for them…for Connie. And like that, it was like the red gem's fire had burned out, in its place being the new Ruby that had become the glue holding the fragile team together. And she had become the only thing keeping Connie going.

Connie sniffled, gently pushing away. "I'm good now. Thanks."

Ruby gave the girl a skeptical look. "Are you sure. You look-"

"I said I'm fine!" Connie snapped, Ruby flinching back. "I just…need to get ready."

Ruby still didn't seem convinced, but nevertheless, as she had very morning before, gave in, offering a friendly smile. "Alright. I'll leave you to it." She said, walking off.

Connie watched as Ruby made her way to the door, turning around as she reached it. "I'm heading into Beach City to get some grub. You want anything?"

"…No thanks…I'm not hungry."

"Alright, the morning regular it is then." She said, completely disregarding the girl's statement before going through the door to get what she called, "the morning regular", which was basically pizza with fries bits on top. It might not have been the healthiest option, but Connie seemed to eat some of it when Ruby brought it home, so it was a start.

Connie waited for a moment until Ruby was finally a good ways away from the house, immediately dropping back into bed, staring at the ceiling. She sighed, wondering what questions Ruby might bring with her this time. There was the ever popular "Any luck with Steven?" and "How's Connie?" from Vidalia and her family and Pee Dee. Connie didn't know why the red gem insisted on telling her these things, maybe as a means of keeping her connected with the outside world, or just to give the girl something to think about other than her lost brother.

Connie shut her eyes, fighting the thoughts that threatened to consume her. "I guess I better get going."

Connie dragged herself out of bed, her eyes immediately falling on the empty bed on the other side of the house. Steven's bed. The one time Connie had convinced Lapis to come inside during a rainstorm, the blue gem had decided only to spend her time in the room. It was odd. Connie hadn't actually known much about Lapis, other than what Steven said about her, but she learned very quickly that this little blue gem that he had saved quite possibly was the most damaged by what happened, even more than Connie herself. She had seen Lapis take one of his shirts and pretend like it was him, throwing it away as the fantasy ended. And, forever in her grip, was a shard of the pink shirt he was wearing when he gave himself to the fusion. Even in the few instances the shard left her grip, she made sure she held it securely in her water wing.

Connie spat out some toothpaste, a little shocked to find herself doing that. Oh well, her life had become so repetitive after that day that she didn't even feel like she was living it anymore. She felt like a puppet hanging by a few strings, a machine set to do a job and not question it. No thought was needed to continue, and she was glad. It was sort of comfortable, that numbness.

* * *

Lapis sighed as she sat atop the roof of the home belonging to Steven, though it didn't deserve to be called that with how great _he_ was and how unworthy it was. She watched the sparkling, light blue waves sparkle as the sun's rays his it upon rising. The beautiful shades and colors of the sunset took to the water and bounced back to her. To most, it would be breath taking. To Lapis however, for a two reasons actually, didn't care. She didn't care or want to care about anything on the measly planet except the one she owed her freedom to. Also, she didn't breath.T

A lot of emotions, foul for the first most part, had swirled through Lapis in the month following Steven being taken. Nearly every moment of every day was one that Lapis had spent searching tirelessly for her lost friend, scanning the ocean's surface, diving so far below that the pressure threatened to break her; whatever she thought would work, she tried. She even tried to move the ocean, knowing all too well that she had lost her power but still willing to try anything. The morning she had awoken after the attack, she didn't even believe that her memory was true, she couldn't. She rushed outside, checking the beach, no words able to describe the anguish she felt as she looked upon the deep trail in the sand that had been left in the monster's wake. And, as if the universe or god himself wanted to make sure there was absolutely no doubt of it being Steven who was dragged under, lying in the trail, the single thing remained of him, was a small shard of pink cloth torn from the shirt he was wearing. It was so small, so seemingly insignificant…and it was the most important thing Lapis had ever owned. No matter how small it appeared, how small _he_ appeared, nothing was more important. Disregarding the Crystal Gems' attempts to calm her, which had been ironic given how panicked they appeared when she had awoken, she left to begin her search for her friend who she owed so much yet betrayed so easily. A week passed without rest, the blue gem's search only leading to more and more anguish and the new addition of hopelessness. Eventually, she realized that her efforts were ultimately fruitless and, tearfully, she returned to the base of the wretched Crystal Gems.

When she returned, she found Sapphire waiting at the door of the house, watching her silently. No words were exchanged, an unspoken understanding between the two that their alliance did not mean that they were on friendly terms. And from then on, that was where she resided, on the roof of the house, staring at the sea, often times occupying her time on more searches despite the overwhelming evidence that her efforts would produce any results better than her previous searches.

Whenever she wasn't searching, she was warring with her emotions. She could remember how she had wanted to cry until she couldn't cry anymore, preferring death over the pain she felt, how she still felt that way. She would hug herself as tight as she could, almost trying to make herself believe that she was embracing Steven atop her water tower once again. She could almost imagine how different it would've been had she held knowledge of what was to come, how she would've taken him and never let him fall into the hands of danger again. Once, she had almost managed to trick herself into thinking that was precisely what was happening, that, upon opening her eyes, she would be met with his, and that everything that had come after their meeting was just a some weird vision that could be avoided. That she had somehow turned back the clock so that she could have finished fusing with Jasper to save him, or better yet to have been able to go back and take him when she had first left for Homeworld to avoid the tragic incident altogether. There was no such luck though, the water gem opening her eyes and finding herself to still be on the roof of house on the miserable planet that didn't deserve to be called Steven's home. After some time, whether to her advantage or not, the emotional outbursts, while not leaving entirely, became less frequent, an almost calming numbness present when her emotions chose to abandon her.

And while Lapis did this, as she worried and fretted and blamed herself, the little freak did nothing to advance the search for Steven…and it made the blue gem sick. It was almost as bad as when she had to look at…herself

She felt her anger begin to simmer down, a feeling of emptiness in the pit of her stomach coupled with shame.

This was her fault, she knew it. She didn't even try to hide it from herself or place the blame on someone else, no matter how horrible those she considered were. No, this was her fault. Her fault that they came, her fault that they attacked, her fault that Steven escaped, her fault that Steven…that her friend who had become the only thing left in her worthless life to care for was gone. That he was down there, where Lapis should've been, trapped with that beast. He had been so kind to her, he had found confidence in her, he had seen her as a friend before he even knew she was alive, he had gone against those he trusted to free her and got hurt protecting her, he had… _she_ had been the one he thought would make him feel worth something. And how had she repaid his kindness, his trust, his unyielding and unconditional love?! She brought _them_ to Earth, she had trapped him with her, tried to take him away from his home, and even after all that she was going to kill those closest to him. She had tried to convince herself that she was doing it for him, for his sake, but even in the act she had been unable to shake to notion, the truth, that she was lying to herself. Under what she told herself, deep down, she knew it was out of selfishness. She hadn't done any of _that_ on account of the preservation of Steven for his sake. She could have done so in many other ways, _any_ other way, so many better ways where he could be alive _and_ happy. But she didn't, she didn't just want him to be _alive_ , she wanted _him_. She wanted to preserve him for her _own_ sake, her own selfish desire to keep him. And, while now she deeply regretted it, at the time she didn't concern herself with his happiness, only his survival…so she could keep him with her forever.

She clenched her fist in frustration.

And it was too late now. All the decisions she should have made, she didn't. He was gone, trapped…and unlike when he freed her, she couldn't even do _that_ for him.

All Lapis could do was hope and pray that, by some miracle or divine intervention, she would stumble upon the monster and free Steven from it. The night prior to this very moment, she had searched tirelessly for him, but to no avail. Steven was nowhere near being within her reach, yet, despite being incredibly disheartening, she refused to give up. Even at that very moment, she had only stopped to rest for a few minutes and get her thoughts together before continuing.

She stood up, stretching her glistening wings of water out wide, the only ability she had left after what Peridot and Jasper did, ready once more to search the ends of the earth one thousand times. If she failed then, she would simply do it again. She would never stop searching for him. He wouldn't have, neither should she.

* * *

Connie grunted as she lifted another box of green pieces of the broken hand ship. Connie didn't know how it happened, but she had somehow become one of the only people tasked with cleaning up the beach. She knew for a fact that Lapis wasn't even going to be there to help, the blue gem's only concern being to search for Steven (in fact, Lapis would even _hinder_ the girl's progress if prompted to interact with her). Connie hadn't spoken to Vidalia often after seeing her reaction to Steven's kidnapping the month before, but she has apparently calmed…for the most part. Pee Dee, she hadn't spoken to him since, didn't know what to say. He already knew about what happened via text and through Ruby, but that didn't help him know what to say. So, Connie was alone in this, save the red gem always by her side.

"Heyo!" Ruby called, Connie setting down her box and looking up to see the red gem rushing over with a pizza box in hand. Ruby stopped upon reaching the girl, almost tripping but managing to save herself with a slight jerk backwards. She smiled at Connie, noticing out of the corner of her eye the many new boxes lying next to the older one. "Sheesh, you could have waited for me you know." The red gem stated, knowing full and well that would never happen. Connie loved the work, the distraction, she _needed_ it.

Connie looked at the box, the Fishstew Pizza logo present with a little fry insignia drawn next to it in black marker, which, according to Ruby, needed to be put on there as a means of preventing some weird food war or whatever. She sat down, Ruby plopping down herself, the former knowing she didn't really have a choice on whether or not she was eating it at this point, Ruby having been very strict about her health. Connie could swear at this point that the red gem was Opal in disguise.

Ruby took two pieces in hand, greedily shoving the whole thing in her mouth at once, making some…interesting noises as she chewed before swallowing.

Connie took the smallest one available, staring at it for a moment.

"So, I passed by Sour Cream and his crew this morning," Ruby began, Connie only half listening as she was sure she knew what the conversation was going to be about. "They asked how you were doing," As Connie had guessed, the girl nodding and beginning to take a bite of her sauce-filled, cheese covered bread. However, the hybrid girl was surprised to find Ruby didn't finish there this time, as she had most mornings prior. "And they wanted to know if you would like to get out of the house for a bit and take a trip with them."

Connie stopped the moment she heard the words escape Ruby's mouth, the food so close to being eaten that she had been able to feel the heat against her lips. She pulled away the food, looking confused towards Ruby. "What?" She asked, wanting to confirm what she thought she had heard.

"Yea," Ruby began again, gulping down her third piece. "Him, Joke, and Benny are going out tonight and they wanted to know if you'd like to come."

"You mean Buck and Jenny." Connie corrected.

Sour Cream, Buck, and Jenny, they were like older siblings to the twins.

Ruby swallowed the third. "They thought you might want to come hang out with them tonight, to help get your mind off of all this junk."

Connie looked to into the red gem's eyes, almost immediately wanting to accept. However, before she could, she took a glance out to the sea, the peaceful sea trying to convince those unsuspecting visitors coming into its territory that it wasn't a dark prison. She sighed, looking into her lap. "I can't." She said.

Ruby, mouth open ready to eat her forth piece, stopped, frowning at the girl. "What? Why not?" She asked, holding her free hand out.

"I just…" Connie clenched her fist. "I don't know…I just…" Connie looked up. "I just can't, not while he's…"

Ruby furrowed her brow. "I know that feeling… But you can't just think about the past, you have to live in the moment and look to the future." Her eyes fell. "That's what Rose taught me at least."

Connie flinched at her mother's name, but quickly shook it off. She looked back to the ground, away from the red gem. She stood up, never taking her eyes from the spot of sand her eyes were on. "Tell them thank you, but I can't… I'm sorry." She said, turning away and standing up. Without another word, she wend on, resuming her work.

* * *

Connie lied in her bed, sleeping not so peacefully after her day of work. The drain on her body wasn't at all physical, she could easily do more, but was entirely mental. Every night was like this after Steven left. So many dreams filled her head about that final night, what happened or what could or should have happened instead.

A loud thump stole her from her slumber, the girl sitting up. She looked around her house to find it empty, shrugging it off before flopping back down on her bed, chucking it off to Lapis coming back from one of her many searches. Sometimes Connie would wake up in the middle of the night to Lapis returning from one of her long searches, the water gem not all that courteous when it came to the rest of the gems.

Another thump sounded, Connie this time not even sitting up.

When a final one sounded, she groaned, pulling herself up again. Before she could open the window to start scolding Lapis, a slice of pizza connected with it.

"What?"

She peaked out through the glass, finding three of her best friends standing below.

Buck, a man of few words and occasional moments of profound clarity. He was rather laid back and at times mysterious, something that Connie couldn't help but notice was similar to the attitude of Sapphire. He was the mayor's son, and while that might seem like something to be proud of, he showed quite a bit of indifference and even hatred of it, as it seemed his father wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. He wore a large, red, long-sleeved button-up shirt, something he seemed to wear all the time regardless of the temperature, and skinny blue jeans. Under the unbuttoned red shirt, a white shirt with a lighting bolt depicted on it was visible. His dark brown hair was combed up in an odd way that Connie had once, when she was very young, tried to convince Opal to allow her to try. However, the defining feature, oddly enough, were the shades which hid his deep brown eyes from those around him. Connie almost let out a chuckle, an empty chuckle probably, at the memory of when she and Steven first met the elder human, Steven for some odd reason deducing after a few days that the human was hiding something about himself with the dark glass barrier, something that he never wanted people to know. And Steven had realized that only a few months after the death of their father. Connie could only guess as to what else Steven had learned since then and kept to himself.

Jenny, a confident woman who just wanted to have fun. She was a very relaxed person, though a little too much at times, sometimes forgetting or simply not caring about her responsibilities. Her skin was dark, similar to that of Connie's, and her brown hair has worn in a puffy bob style. She wore a red and white striped, sleeveless top and light blue jeans. Hanging from each ear was a large, golden earring. Back when they were younger, Connie had become a little jealous of the girl when Steven started looking up to her, even going as far as to march up to her and claiming that Steven was her brother and not Jenny's.

And then…there was Sour Cream, her big brother, or at least in a sense. A pale skinned lad with kind, ice blue eyes. He wore a grayish-blue hoodie that, while commonly seen on him, was seen off of him much more often than the red shirt of Buck. Under the hoodie, he wore a light gray shirt that was visible due to the unzipped portion of the hoodie. He wore orange phat pants, something that Connie personally wouldn't have advised but the teen somehow managed to pull off. When the twins had first become acquainted with him due to the frequent gatherings of Vidalia and the Crystal Gems, Sour Cream wasn't particularly fond of them. He wasn't really mean to them per say, he just didn't seem to care. Maybe it was jealousy over how they still had their father when his left as the boy turned seven. Maybe it was over how Vidalia was so motherly towards them, allowing the twins the chance to have a mother _and_ father figure in their lives. Whatever it was, all those feelings changed one day. Some time after the death of their father, Greg Universe, his attitude towards the twins changed. He suddenly became very caring towards them, comforting them, taking their minds off the pain, and eventually even becoming like a big brother to them.

They stood in front of a convertible yellow car with red circles scattered about to represent pepperonis. The trio stared up at the window, smiling and waving.

"Oh hey, they're here!"

Connie shrieked, turning around to find Ruby staring out the window too. The red gem had a different outfit than normal, a dark red T with 'To hot to handle!' Written in bright red letters, with a fiery appearance to them. She wore black jeans and shoes of the same brick red color as the letters. Of course, her signature headband was still present.

"Man, I was worried they were _never_ going to get here." Ruby said.

Connie gasped for a moment, eventually forcing herself to breath normally again. " _Why_ are they here?" Connie asked, her recent fear showing at the volume of her voice.

"So we can all hang out tonight, remember?" Ruby asked.

"Yea, and I remember saying that I didn't want to." Connie said, quieter as she calmed.

Ruby didn't respond immediately, staring at the waving group below through the window. Eventually, she sighed. "I know…and I won't make you go if you don't want to…but I can't keep living like this. Every day, every _minute_ , I have to live with this… _this_." She said gesturing to herself with a pained expression, knowing of no other words in that words able to describe the feeling. "I miss him, I miss him just as much as you do- well maybe not as much as you, but we can't just keep moping around until we finally find him. We're going to have to keep living, you know? So if you want to stay here then that's fine by me, but I'm going to go out tonight," Ruby looked to Connie, a sparkle present in the red gem's eyes as they stared into Connie's. "And I'm going to have some fun. Will it change what happened? No. But neither will staying here waiting for something to change."

Connie stared at Ruby's eyes for a moment, surprised by the red gem's words. The girl's head dropped, looking at the ground in deep thought.

Ruby's smile left once again, a sigh escaping her lips. A creek sounded as the red gem opened the screen door, Ruby turning around after most of her body was outside of the house. "See you…" She said, finally leaving, the door shutting behind her with a small bang.

* * *

"Hey little red." Buck greeted with smile, watching as Ruby hopped over the door and into the car, plopping down in the empty seat.

"You ready to have some fun?" Jenny asked.

"You have _no_ idea." Ruby responded, smile present.

Sour Cream's smile fell. "Where's…Connie?"

Ruby's smile followed Sour Cream's example, dropping into a frown, her gaze falling to the floor. "She…she couldn't make it." Ruby looked back up to the group, half smile present. "You know how she can be. Probably doesn't want to break curfew." She joked.

Sour Cream gave a half chuckle. "Right…"

Jenny gave a sympathetic frown to her fellow teen, forcing a small smile on her face. "So, are we going to get this party started or what?" She asked happily.

"Yea, we're living in the moment tonight." Buck added.

"Yea, whoop whoop!" Ruby cheered, enthusiasm rekindled.

Sour Cream smiled at the joy of the group, letting out a sigh, as if doing so also released his stress, his pain. "Then let's go." He said, turning the key and starting the engine.

"Wait!"

The group turned to find Connie, a casual blue and white striped top and plaid shorts thrown on with little to no consideration of if they matched, rushed down the stairs, using the railing to change her path without slowing, rushing to the car. She made it to the door, breathing heavily.

"Wait…up…" Connie said, resting against the closed car door.

Ruby cracked a cheeky grin. "Couldn't stay away, eh?" She asked.

Connie looked up to the red gem. "Are you kidding?" She asked, standing up straight, breath finally retrieved. "It was either this or night terrors. Not a hard choice." She said.

"Well then come on in!" Ruby said, pushing the door open and scooting to the middle seat.

Connie complied, hopping in and shutting the door, the car moving almost immediately after Connie's seatbelt clicked, like Sour Cream was afraid that if he waited any longer the girl would change her mind. And off they went, hoping to have some fun.

* * *

Lapis listened to the low growl of the earth vehicle below, the blue gem sitting and leaning back on the roof in the direction of the dark blue ocean. Her head was turned to the creatures below, eyes narrowed as they interacted happily. Even Steven's sister, whatever that was, was joining the group. She felt disgust towards them, especially that freak who claimed to have been produced alongside _Lapis'_ Steven.

The search that day had yielded as much success as those attempts prior. Nothing. Nothing but the endless ocean that covered the Earth, nothing but the organic life that either chose to investigate her out of curiosity or flee out of fear, nothing but the odd sensation of being completely submersed underwater longer than above the surface. She had encountered a new creature however, though she had initially come upon it to see if it was the fusion Steven was trapped within. Instead, she found a giant fish with a hole in the top of its head which she assumed to be a wound. Upon meeting it, as she was thinking about Steven at the moment, she wondered what he would have done if he were there. After some thought, she decided he would probably try to fix the broken animal, so she decided to do so… Apparently the hole wasn't because it needed to be fixed (thankfully for the poor, probably confused, creature, she didn't really do a good job "fixing" it). After spending the rest of the day on her long search, though she felt it to be much shorter than it actually was, she came back to the miserable place that housed the Crystal Gems. Upon returning, she buried her head in her knees and fended off the thoughts of self loathing and worthlessness at her failure, the hungry thoughts that wanted to take her and eat at her from the inside until she was nothing more than a husk, an empty shell of her former self. She would ultimately succeed in dismissing them, but not without them doing some damage to her, damage she needed to recover from before she could resume her searching. That day's had been particularly vicious, bringing her to tears on her way back. Even still, it wasn't anything she couldn't handle, something she couldn't bury in the very mind it tried to invade.

Lapis watched as the human vehicle left with a roar, some shout of excitement coming from one of the passengers. Oh, how badly she wanted to give them what they deserved, for being happy when _he_ was trapped…but no…as much as she wanted to, doing so would only hinder the search. If she did so, that would only mean there would be fewer individuals to search for him, though they hadn't done much thus far but she was certain they would ultimately join in. And even further, the rest of them would turn their attention away from him to deal with her, leaving her to be the only one left to search while also trying to flee and stay hidden from the remaining gems. Besides, they weren't worth it.

Lapis sighed, looking to the statue that towered above Steven's home and sighed. She looked sadly to the ocean. She watched the waves beat against the shore, humoring the idea that it was Steven trying to communicate with her from his underwater prison. They were more violent than that morning, as if he was calling desperately for her to find and rescue him. "Don't worry Steven." She said in response to what she imagined the waves were telling her. "I'll find you soon Steven." She said, knowing deep down it was a lie to him _and_ herself. She didn't know how long it would take at this point. Days? Weeks? Months? Years? She had no clue, just as she didn't have a clue on where he was.

She growled. It wasn't fair. He didn't deserve this, this torture. _She_ did, _she_ deserved to be the one locked away, to be forced to stay together with some monster, to be in a prison of horrors she probably wouldn't even be able to imagine. She should have, she should have fought to the death to keep him from that. Even if she died in the process, she should have. To have fought with every fiber of her being against that cruel Jasper and unfeeling Pe-

A glare returned, though not as much out of anger but instead of determination. She stared at the waves, memories of the events leading to this point flying through her head, her breath becoming quicker, her eyes becoming harsher. An old feeling, one she hadn't felt since the day she had been freed came forth, one that took the place of the currently absent distress and filled the emptiness. One that wasn't about caring, but about vengeance. Not one of love, but of hate. Not one of caring, but of cruelty. Feelings of wanting to give someone what they deserve…feelings of bloodlust.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_ _Sorry this took so long to post. It turned out to be much longer than I originally thought. That length is also why I've decided to divvy up this chapter into a two-parter as well. Next up, we see just how much "fun" they all have._


	3. Full Disclosure

_**Author's note:**_ _Alright, so I'm quite aware that this isn't the best chapter I have or will make. However, I felt the need to make this, not only because it is rather important for the plot, but also because of…personal reasons. So, good or bad, I tried._

 _Also, for those of you who aren't really sure what's going on, you should probably known that this is a sequel to my story, "The Halves of Rose"._

 _ **Edit:** Deleted that last but at the end. Story flows better and I wanted to._

* * *

 _Full Disclosure_

"Hey little sis." Sour Cream said from the front, steering the car despite it being Jenny's. "How's it hangin'?"

"Hey Sour Cream." Connie responded plainly. She looked to see him wearing a slightly hurt expression. "I guess I'm doing okay." Connie added with a small smile.

Sour Cream returned with one of his own, the two returning to the awkward silence.

Connie felt so weird right now. She had always been able to talk to Sour Cream, _always_. He was like a big brother to herself and Steven. He was always revered as something awesome in the twins eyes, always finding some new way to impress and entertain them. When their father died, he was one of the ones who managed to cheer them up. He was one of the closest people Connie had in her life, and it felt so weird that she didn't want to talk to him about this.

Connie felt the car come to a stop. "Huh?"

"Hey guys, what took you so long?"

Connie's eyes widened as she realized where they were, eyes growing even wider as she saw _why_ they were here. Pee Dee.

"Ruby, why's _he_ coming?!" Connie hissed.

Ruby gave a cheeky grin, hopping into Jenny's lap and pulling Connie into the middle seat. "What, haven't you missed your boyfr-"

Connie punched Ruby in the shoulder, making the latter chuckle but shut up all the same.

"Hey Connie!" Pee Dee greeted, hopping into the seat next to her.

Connie looked nervously at him. What should she say? Hey, sorry that I haven't wanted you to come over recently, Steven being trapped under the ocean really bummed me out, anyway, how's life with you? "Hey." Connie answered.

There was a silence that followed soon after as the car began to move.

Connie looked at Pee Dee, looking away the moment he began to look to her. Nope, no way this was a bad idea.

Connie inwardly glared at the teens and gem around her as they happily chatted amongst themselves. It wasn't out of malice, she didn't want to feel this way. She just…did. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she didn't want to be here. Simple as that, she didn't want to. Right then, all she wanted was to go to bed, to sleep, wake up, and return to the numbing pattern her life had become. She didn't want to think about anything right then, she didn't want to talk, all she wanted to do was to go back home and get to sleep so that could continue her busy work. That was the easy w- healthy way to deal with stress.

Still, she knew Ruby's words to be true, every one of them. To let the pain consume her was wrong, for herself _and_ those around her. And there was another reason she came, though she wouldn't have admitted it and might not have even realized it herself. She came because of Steven, because it's what Steven would have wanted. He would want her to be happy, to live on as if life were normal, to remember that trying to feel the same pain he was feeling wouldn't do anything to bring him from his captor.

Connie then caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye, her expression softening. It was Pee Dee. She had only seen it for a second, but she could remember every detail about what she just saw. She could draw a nearly perfect picture of it if she were so inclined.

Pee Dee was staring right at her. Not in the cute, almost playful way the two of them had done in the past, but just stared. His eyes were large and sad, a look of deep longing within.

She knew why, it was because of her, because she wouldn't talk to him. They were best friends, he had always been there for her, even when her Dad died she had been able to talk to him, why wouldn't she come to him in her time of need? He would have done the same if he were in similar situation. Connie could see every thought he had with that one look. Why couldn't she take comfort in him? Why couldn't she talk about it to him? Why couldn't she talk to him at all? Why didn't she want to be around him anymore?

Connie turned even farther to the left, hoping to not have to see that look again, at least not right now. She didn't like seeing his thoughts. As she did though, her own thoughts began to plague her about the subject.

"So…what have you been up to?" Jenny asked from the front seat. Her tone was cheerful, deceptively so.

Connie thought for a moment, almost considering to snap at the teen and retort that she knew all too well. However, Connie knew Jenny meant well. "I…I've been…" Connie couldn't think of an answer, she honestly couldn't. With a sigh, she responded, "It's kind of hard to say." It was the truth. At first she could have replied without thought that she was doing horribly. Now though…it _was_ hard to say. The past month was enough time to get used to it, but would you call being used to the idea that someone you loved was trapped by a monster 'fine'?

"The others are getting better." Ruby said. "Opal's finally calmed down enough to think rationally and Sapphire's started coming out of her room and _sort of_ talking."

"And you?" Pee Dee asked.

Ruby paused for a moment, eyes widening momentarily. She let out a chuckle, an empty chuckle, before ruffling his hair. "I just keep on keeping on."

"Well, I guess you did _keep on_ eating and sleeping." Connie managed with a grin, earning a few chuckles from the group.

"Hey, can't work on an empty stomach." Ruby said.

"You mean like cleaning the beach?" Connie said.

Ruby blushed in embarrassment. "Hey, I've helped a lot!" She defended.

A few more chuckled were brought about, the negative aura still present, but at least hidden for the time being.

Connie took notice as the car zoomed passed a sign reading, "You're leaving Beach City. Please, come again!"

"So, where are we going?" Connie asked, surprised to hear another voice asking the same question. She looked over and saw Pee Dee looking back.

"Wherever the wind takes us, or the car I guess." Buck answered.

"So…no plan." Connie responded.

"No plan." Buck confirmed.

Ruby smiled at the sounds of Connie finally talking to someone other than her after so long, looking out to the wheat field they were passing. Her eyes widened. "Holy shi- c- crap!" She exclaimed.

"What is it-" Sour Cream began. In second, the teen's foot fell on the brakes, forcing the car screeching to a halt. "Look at that!" He exclaimed, pointing towards something in the wheat field.

"What?! Did we hit something?!" Connie exclaimed.

Pee Dee followed the gaze of the teen and gem, falling, at the same as the rest of the group, on a glowing, green aura in the field. "Whoa…what is that?" He asked.

Ruby gave a determined glare, a smirk appearing on her face. "We should check it out." She said.

"Yea, let's do it." Sour Cream said back, shifting the car, ready to drive into the field.

"Um, shouldn't common sense dictate that we _not_ go towards the glowing thing in the field?" Connie asked.

Sour Cream looked back, expression one of confusion. "Common what?" He asked before putting his foot on the gas, the car launching forward into the field.

* * *

"Geez, a little warning would be nice." Pee Dee said, holding his head as he walked along with the teens, hybrid, and gem. He looked to Connie. Leaning over to her, he asked, "Is he always like this?" He asked.

Connie chuckled. "Heh, yea. Sour Cream's normally pretty calm, but he can be _really_ excitable sometimes. Like one time when his dad came around. You should have seen him freak out!" Connie's smile fell. "His dad ended up leaving again after awhile…said he felt like he failed Sour Cream and didn't want him to be messed up like he was."

"Jeez, I'm sorry to hear that." Pee Dee said.

Connie smiled at her concerned friend. "Hey, it's fine. Uncle Marty still visits every now and then."

"Whoa!" Sour Cream called from farther ahead.

"Connie, you've gotta come check this thing out!" Jenny followed.

Connie and Pee Dee chuckled.

Suddenly, a playful thought revealed itself to Connie. It only took a second for her to decide what way she should react to it.

"Bet I can get there before than you can!" Connie said quickly with a confident smirk, running forward.

Pee Dee smiled back. "Oh, you're _on_!" He called back, running after her.

Connie laughed as she rushed through the field, feeling the wheat lightly hitting her as she collided with them. She looked back, finding Pee Dee still behind her, though managing to keep up with relatively little effort. In that moment, she felt her pain fade. For how long, she wasn't sure as she didn't even remember that there was anything to be sad about despite the feelings still remaining deep in her subconscious. Whether it was the exercise, the adrenaline running through her veins, the natural wild feeling she felt under the moon's light, the fresh cool air entering her lungs, or a little of all, Pee Dee and the rest of the group's unintentional push allowing for some unknown variable to finally get her moving. The calm and peace in her mind danced in synch with the wild and excitement also present, a union of opposites running her for the moment.

Pee Dee seemed to notice this as well, almost seeming to become even more invigorated by her sudden burst of joy. Of course, deep down he knew this would not he permanent, that she would revert back to the state of mind of before with time, though he might not have admitted it to himself. It would take more than a few laughs and a race to fix her entirely, something much harder and likely to be painful for her in the moment. For the moment however, he worried not about this. She was happy in that moment, genuinely happy, at least that's what he could see, and he was going to let her enjoy it for as long as the girl could.

* * *

Connie rushed through the wheat field, panting happily, the rest of the group eventually coming into sight in a small clearing ahead of her. When Connie arrived, she almost fell into the hole where what they were looking at rested, the girl, stopping and putting her weight behind her to avoid falling in. When she was stable, she looked within, she gasped.

Before her, giving off a hue of the same color, was a large green spherical object. It had an opening in the front, revealing a hollowed out chamber within.

Footsteps followed soon after, presumably Pee Dee's, coming up and stopping behind Connie.

"Wow…what is that thing?" Pee Dee asked.

Ruby stepped forward, putting her hand to her chin. She hopped into the crater, walking up to the orb, eyeing it suspiciously. She raised her fist up to it, giving a few hard knocks, earning a metallic clank to each. She hummed and nodded. "Well, in my expert opinion, it's…I'm not sure."

Pee Dee hopped in next, followed by the cool kids, Connie lagging behind, standing at the side of the crater and watching from above.

"Sure looks fancy." Pee Dee commented upon further inspection.

Ruby tilted her head, furrowing her brow. "And I can't shake the feeling that I've seen something like this before."

"Really? Where?" Jenny asked.

"Dunno. Feel like I should too."

Connie stared at it for a moment, looking over the glowing orb. The material, it seemed so familiar…but how? There wasn't anything like that in Beach City…well, except for the pieces of the hand shi-

Connie's eyes widened as the connection in her brain was finally made. A memory of the hand ship flashed her head. The voices around her began to fade away as she stared at the strange green sphere, understanding now from whence it came.

"Connie! Connie!" She vaguely heard, the voice sounding as if it were calling from the other side of a wall.

The girl stumbled back, away from the orb that made her skin crawl and her stomach want to release its food, feeling her foot get caught on something, Connie realizing too late as she felt herself lose her footing and begin to fall. Instead of feeling the hard ground, she felt something much softer catch her, Connie breaking out of her trance the moment it made contact.

"Connie! Come on, say something!" Pee Dee cried.

Connie looked up to find his head looking down at her from behind, probably meaning he was the one who caught her. Before her, the group of teens and Ruby were gather around, worried expressions present.

"Ugh." Connie groaned, sitting up, a small stab of pain forcing her to hold her forehead. "What happened?"

"You were hyperventilating." Pee Dee said.

"And you looked like you were about to faint." Jenny added.

"You gave us a good scare there kid." Buck finished.

"Connie…" Sour Cream kneeled down on one knee to look into the eyes of the still sitting girl. "What happened there?"

Connie wasn't actually sure, for the time being at least. She supposed she hadn't even processed what was occurring due to fear. However, she found her answer upon looking past the teen before her. It had only been a second's glance, an accident in a way, but what she saw made her remember her terror.

"Th- Th- That thing." She said, pointing past the group. "That came from the ship."

Ruby looked at it in confusion, eyes widening as she too realized the similarity of the material. The teal green color, the way it shined in the light and gave its own glow as well, there was no denying that this thing and the hand ship were in some way related.

The group headed back over to the alien orb, Connie getting up and following while hiding behind Pee Dee, who didn't even seem to notice. As the group did so, they were much more cautious in their approach, eyeing the strange object as if taking their gaze from it for even a second would mean the end of their lives, which was something that they might have actually been wondering given how they weren't sure what it was. At the head was Ruby, the red gem continuing forward even when the rest decided to hang back a couple feet.

Ruby circled the device, hand to her chin, brow raised as she looked at each and every feature. She knocked on the edge, jumping back a bit in case doing so somehow provoked it, only to be met with a metallic bang. Ruby next check the hollowed out area of the ship, looking about it for a moment before pulling herself back out to look at the exterior once more.

Connie had never seen Ruby be as serious as she was now, as the red gem carefully and meticulously studied the device.

Eventually, Ruby backed up, nodding. "This looks to me like one of the escape pods we had before the war, though pretty advanced compared to back then." She scrunched up her face. "Kind of cleaner too. Heh, didn't know that was possible with just how big neat freaks they were." She squinted in thought. "Why is it here though?"

Connie stared at it for a moment following the question, a gasp soon escaping her lips. "It must have been Peridot!"

"Peridot?" Pee Dee asked, looking back to her.

Ruby's expression dropped into a scowl at the second mention of the name, clenching her fists. " _Peridot_."

"Uh…who's Peridot?" Sour Cream asked.

"Peridot was one of the gems that came to Earth on the ship. She helped capture us." Connie explained. "I forgot all about her with everything that happened."

"Sapphire wondered if she'd escaped too. Opal looked for awhile before she realized we knew just as much on if Peridot escaped as we knew about Steven. So, she decided to give up until we found something." Ruby stated. "Now we _know_ she made it out." She finished, tone laced in venom.

The group was silent for a moment, each processing the information that had been laid upon them.

Connie's expression eventually hardened. "We need to get this to the temple as soon as possible."

The teens, Pee Dee, and Ruby all looked at her, each holding some concern as they realized what this would mean.

"Hey, we don't have to end the night just yet." Sour Cream stated nervously. "I'm sure there's plenty of time to get this thing over to them."

"Yea, no need to end the fun yet." Jenny agreed.

Connie gave them a sour look. Not of anger or hatred, simply annoyance.

"Uh." Sour Cream managed. He looked over to those who hadn't yet stated their minds. "Come on guys. Help me out."

Despite the request, Buck, Pee Dee, and Ruby stayed silent, Buck not sure what to say, Pee Dee too nervous to voice his opinion, and Ruby uncertain as to where she herself stood on this. Ruby wanted to bring her on this little outing to get her mind off of everything, only to bring her right back into the mess.

"Um…guys?" Sour Cream asked again.

Pee Dee eventually, looking to the ground, stepped forward with much reluctance. "I…think Connie might be right." He glanced up to Sour Cream, long enough to see the teen's expression fall even more, before looking back to the ground. "If this Peridot really is out there, the gems should know about it as soon as possible. Who knows what trouble she could be causing as we speak."

Sour Cream looked desperately over to Ruby. "Ruby?" He asked.

Ruby looked up at him with an uncertain look, looking to Connie for a moment, who was still wearing a now determined glare, before looking back to Sour Cream, nodding.

"Buck?" Sour Cream asked, looking the final member of the group, who simply responded with an indifferent shrug. Sour Cream looked at the entire group as a whole, realizing that he and Jenny were outnumbered, a defeated sigh escaping his lips as he gave in to the opinions of the many. "Alright."

* * *

Silence had long since washed over the vehicle following their departure from the field, no one speaking a word, no one knowing what to say. Their night of fun, one that each had hoped would get Connie out of her slump, had been ended abruptly upon the discovery of the spherical machine that served as proof that Peridot had made it, which was now being dragged along behind the car they rode in by Ruby's shape-shifted arm.

Connie stared outside of the car, watching the green grass growing next to the black pavement zoom by with her being able to see each individual blade. She looked to the sky and its twinkling stars, admiring its beauty, the darkness holding an orange hue to it as the night was doomed to end and the next day began. For a brief moment wondered if her brother was staring up at the same sky she was, realizing soon after that it was unlikely he was even able to under the massive deep waters. She shook off the though, taking notice as they finally passed a building, a barn full of machine parts which had apparently belonged to her grandparents, signaling that they were close to entering the city. A few more buildings they passed, some light, most dark. A dog barked at them as they passed, though she only heard it for a second before they were too far for the sound to reach her.

She was lost in her mind as she stared at the passing objects, barely processing their existence. So lost was she that she didn't even realized that the car had turned off the road and come to a park until the slamming of one its doors startled her back to reality.

"Huh?" She jumped, the initial door closing followed by two more. She looked around her at the moving group, a light ringing coming as Ruby shape-shifted her arm back to normal. She looked around quickly at the place they had stopped, a gas station attached to a diner she, Steven, and Greg used to go on occasion. The place they had parked was, of course, a gas pump. "What's going on?"

"Low on gas." Was all Jenny said as Sour Cream began filling up the tank.

"For the car _and_ us." Buck added.

"What?!" Connie exclaimed. "But we need to get the escape pod to Opal and Sapphire _now_!"

"We haven't eaten anything for hours." Buck informed.

"Why didn't you bring something eat then?!" Connie continued.

"Well, we did have pizza." Sour Cream began. "But…we kinda used it to throw against your window."

Connie's frustration ended, replaced by confusion. "…Why?"

"Don't worry Connie." Ruby said, waving her hand. "It won't take too long. Besides, the likelihood of Sapphire and Opal being home by the time we get there is slim to none."

Connie looked at Ruby, ready to argue again, stopping as she realized the truth behind what had been said. Connie sighed, glancing back to the dented green orb currently lying behind the car. "Fine." She said.

"Yea! And it's morning too, and that means there'll be bacon!" Ruby cheered.

* * *

Connie was temporarily caught off guard by the statement, looking up for a moment to confirm that this was indeed true. Sure enough, without her even noticing, the sun had almost completely finished its trek over the horizon, its light banishing away the far inferior twinkles that the night presented. Her momentary confusion ended, she resumed her blank stare.

Ruby noticed this and looked on with sympathy. Offering with a forced smile, she asked, "Hey, you want to come in and get something?"

Connie didn't even look up. "No."

Ruby's smile faltered as she looked on at the girl. In that moment, Ruby felt like she had failed her. She felt frustration, knowing she had been so close to getting her baby girl back, one little thing making all that effort pointless. She sighed, turning away. "Okay." Ruby said, following the rest of the teens into the restaurant, leaving Connie behind.

Connie sat with her arms crossed, retreating back into her mind as she waited for the group to return so she could deliver Peridot's escape pod to the rest of the gems and return to the comfortingly numb pattern her life had become. She would have done so, had she not been dragged right back out a few minutes later by yet another sudden noise, the metal clink as the gas pump stopped pouring fuel into the now full tank. As she was dragged back out of her head, she took notice of someone else who remained in the car sitting next to her, a worried expression present as he looked on to her.

"Pee Dee?" Connie asked. "Why aren't you inside?"

Pee Dee didn't respond immediately, still seeming worried, eventually turning his head away and answering with another question. "Why aren't _you_ inside?" It wasn't playful, no smile present on his face, but was rather solemn.

Connie looked away for a moment. "I'm…not hungry." She answered, similar to how she answered Ruby. Had she still been lost in though and not realized who exactly she was talking to, she may have expected to later be met with a french fry covered pizza.

Instead of this, she was met with silence.

After a moment, expecting a response but not receiving one, Connie continued, "You should go in there with them. You'd probably have fun."

"You would too." He told her. More silence followed, Pee Dee not giving any sign at the moment that he was going to leave. Eventually though, just as Connie was going to once again suggest that he leave, Pee Dee spoke. "Connie…I need you to talk to me."

Connie was shocked by his response. Quickly she shook this off. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"I mean I need you to tell me how you feel." He answered, looking back to her. His gaze was a longing one, begging her to respond truthfully.

Connie's initial feeling was a similar longing to do just that, pour her feelings onto him and finally have someone share the weight. This feeling faded quickly, slight agitation now present at the question she had been asked so often since what happened despite answering that she was fine. "It's fine, don't worry about it…" She told him.

His eyes somehow looked even sadder. "Connie…"

Connie growled. "I said it's fine!" She snapped, temporarily overcome by anger. She calmed soon after, turning way and answering again in a calmer tone, "I'm fine."

Despite no longer looking upon him, Connie could still feel Pee Dee's eyes on her. She huddled up, beginning to wish that the rest of the group would return so that the exchange would end.

Eventually, something unexpected happened, though Connie wasn't entirely sure what she _would_ have expected.

Connie felt Pee Dee grab her by her shoulder, Connie letting out a quick yelp as he tried to pull her gaze back to him, though only succeeding because, upon realizing what was happening, she allowed him to despite her superior strength.

The boy looked hard into Connie's eyes. "Connie. _What's wrong?_ " He asked more sternly.

Connie pulled her shoulder from his hand. "Nothing! I'm fine! Everything's fine!" She snapped. "How many times do I have to say it to everyone?! I'm _**fine**_!"

Pee Dee growled. "But that's just it! You're _not_ fine! _Nobody's_ fine! Why are you so insistent that you're _okay_! It's fine not to be fine!" He exclaimed. He took his focus from solely Connie's eyes, taking notice of the rest of the features of her face. He had struck a nerve. Good or bad, he had yet to tell, but it at least meant she would show him how she truly felt. He sighed. "Do you think it's supposed to be easy, that you're just going to get over it…because you won't. Do you think it's easy to live life without him, knowing that he's out there somewhere hurting…it isn't… I know how hard it was for you, for _all_ of you… You lost your brother…" He looked straight into her eyes once more. "but I lost someone too. I lost a friend, one of the kindest, sweetest people I've ever met…" He turned his head downwards, taking a few steps forward, now behind Connie. "You see, we all lost him. We _all_ lost someone we love…" He sighed. "I just never thought I would lose two." He said, leaving Connie stunned as he scooted to the other side of the car, opened the door, and left to meet up with the group.

Connie turned and watched him go for a moment, reaching her hand out, almost tempted to call out for him, but stopped, pulling her arm back down. Her gaze fell and she too sighed. "Steven…if only you were here…you'd know what to do."

She looked back up, an odd mix of relief and regret present, the clashing feelings stirring up in her chest and stomach.

Ruby quickly gulped down a stack of pancakes, trying to ignore and hopefully even bury the aching feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. Sure enough, when all the golden brown circles had disappeared, the pain still remained. Ruby sighed, resting her head on the counter. This outing had been far from what she expected. It was an old timey looking diner, one with a counter, round cushioned stools. It was odd for Ruby to notice the similarities to those which had actually been made in years prior when the look was normal.

She looked over to the trio of teens, who had gone to talking about things she couldn't begin to try to understand enough to care about, though she could tell that, despite their current expressions, they too felt the same way she did.

A bell rang, a signal that the door had opened, Ruby quickly turning her head to see who it was, soon finding Pee Dee hopping up into the chair next to her.

Ruby took a long look at his face, reading it and understanding completely. With a sigh, she told him. "Didn't work, did it?"

Pee Dee stayed quiet for a second. "No." The only word that escaped.

"Thought so." Ruby offered a smile. "She's been taking it pretty hard, that's why I wanted her to come along." Her smile dropped. "I'd though this might be just what she needed to cheer herself up…then _this_ happened." She looked up, through the ceiling, through the sky, off into space. "At this point…I think only _she_ can decide if she's going to get better…"

A second ring came.

"Is there room for one more?"

The entire group stopped what they were doing, looking back to the source of the voice. They knew who it was, but couldn't believe it.

Ruby's grin became wide and excited. "Of course there is Connie!"

"Yea, come on over!" Jenny encouraged excitedly, waving her over to the counter, the person on the other side of it seeming not all that thrilled over his rather excitable customers he was receiving that morning.

Connie hopped onto the stool next to Pee Dee. "Two eggs, a waffle, and some bacon please." She said to the man on the other side, the memory of what she had ordered here when she came with her dad still burned in her mind despite it being so many years ago.

And like that, the happy atmosphere returned, everyone rather eager to forget the feelings at the time. Sour Cream, Buck, and Jenny resumed their conversation, now including Ruby, Pee Dee, and Connie, the latter three rather confused on the topics but nevertheless offering their thoughts. Sure, they were still dealing with them and would probably be doing so for awhile, but for the time being, they were content with letting themselves have some fun for the time being.

Something funny was said by Buck, laughter bursting from every member of the group, save Connie now.

"Hey Pee Dee?" Connie asked quietly.

Pee Dee stopped laughing, turning to the girl with a smile. "What?"

Connie quickly wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close and hugging him tightly, stunning Pee Dee. "Thanks." Connie whispered into his ear, soon releasing him.

Pee Dee was stunned, expression telling Connie that he knew not what to do or say next, only giving as a response. "Y- Your welcome." A smile soon grew on his face as he regained his bearings. "Welcome back." He said.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:** Please give me some constructive criticism! It really helps._


End file.
